Irvine Development Related Charter Amendments to Appear on June Ballot

On Tuesday night the Irvine City Council voted in favor of adding two additional items to the ballot of this year’s special election. On June 5th, the city of Irvine will be holding a Special Municipal Election to coincide with the Statewide Direct Primary Election. As of now there are three items to vote on including a proposed Veterans Cemetery and two amendments to the City’s Charter. The first proposed amendment states that a super majority (four votes) would be required from the city council in regards to raising taxes on residents.

This amendment appears to be in direct response to an initiative that has been circulated throughout the city for signatures. The proposed ballot initiative would require voter approval for “any project that adds significant traffic, 40 or more housing units or 10,000 square feet of non-residential use and requires general plan or zoning changes.”² If the initiative passed, development in the city would be greatly impacted. Given that we are in the midst of a major housing supply crisis, this initiative could seriously hinder the cities efforts to build housing for it’s residents and businesses.

Irvine residents will have the opportunity to vote on the two aforementioned amendments on June 5th. The proposed initiative will appear on the November 6th ballot.